Protector for trees.



J. J. PATTERSON.

PROTECTOR FOR TREES.

AYPLIOATION FILED MAR.27,1913.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS'SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON. u c.

J. J. PATTERSON.

PROTECTOR FOR TREES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1913.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH (IO-,WASHINOTON, n. c.

xxx

pnirnii sTaTns PATENT oriuon.

JOHN J. IPATTERSON, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PROTECTOR FOR TREES.

osaaea.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. PATTERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Protector for Trees, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices used for protectingfruit trees or other vegetation against extreme temperatures such asfrost, etc., or against heavy winds which would toss and swing the fruiton its stem, and might either prematurely thresh said fruit from thetree, or else bruise same by rubbing on the harder part-s of the tree.

Among other novel and useful features which may hereinafter appear, theprotector embodying this invention is characterized by its cheapness,durability and protecting efficiency; and also by the ease with which itmay be wrapped around and covered over the tree to which it is applied.

The ease with which this protector may be applied over and around a treeis characterized by the fact that the attendants in putt-ing theseprotectors into use can with facility do so while standing on the groundnear the tree to be wrapped without using any elevating or hoistingmeans for raising the protector over the tree; and applicants inventionis pioneer in this respect.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is an enlarged broken elevation showing a fragment of theprotector embracing the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of theprotector fragment shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing aprotector as it appears when in place on a tree. Fig. 4 is an elevationshowing the protector in place on a tree. The dotted lines show adevelopment of the protector as it appears before it is wrapped aroundand closed over the tree. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view on a reducedscale and shows the protector in process of application to the tree.Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the protector in its final positioncompletely wrapped and closed over the tree.

The construction embodying this invention essentially comprises asuitable protect ing sheet 1, illustrated by the dotted-line developmentin F ig. 1, as having a general Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 27, 1913.

Patented Dec. 23,1913.

Serial No. 757,254.

comprise a plurality of parts collapsibly connected by hinges. Bothpoles are substantially identical in structure and the followingdescription of pole 5 will therefore apply also to pole 6. The pole 5comprises two parts 7 and 8 collapsibly connected to each other by hinge9, Fig. 2, whereby it is possible for part 8 to swing in the directionof the arrow 10, Fig. 2, into the dotted position 8. To permit saidswinging action to occur freely the sheet 1 is not tacked onto the polein the vicinity of hinge 9, but is arranged with a loose or bulgedportion 11 in Fig. 1. It is desirable at times, however, to maintainpole parts 7 and 8 rigidly in alinement with one another, and to avoidthe swinging of the latter relative to the former. For this purpose,suitable latch means are provided which cooperate with both parts tosecure the aforesaid alinement when desired. These latch means may, ofcourse, be of any suitable construction. but are shown in the figures ascomprising a latch bar 12 permanently carried on the pole part 7 andguided by suitable straps 13. This bar is adapted to slide upwardthrough another strap 14, which is permanently secured to pole part 8and when positioned in the last said strap, as in Fig. 2, the bar 12maintains the pole parts 7 and 8 in alinement with one another. A stringor cable 15 preferably passing through eyes 16, Fig. 1, is attached tolatch bar 12 as at 17, and when it is desired to drop pole part 8 intoits dot-ted position 8, Fig. 2, the string or cable 15 is pulleddownward so as to completely withdraw latch bar 12 from the strap 1 1.The bar 12 will be arrested in its downward course by means of a stop 18abutting against shoulder 19, Fig. 2, of bar 12. After the latch bar iswithdrawn from strap 14 the upper pole part 8 will, of its own accord,probably topple toward position 8, or else by shaking pole 5 suchtoppling can be readily caused. For each of said poles. and serving apurpose hereinafter made clear, are

provided suit-able string means comprising the two strings 20 and 21,respectively. One end of each of said strings is connected at suitablepoints 22 to the protecting sheet 1, while each of said strings is alsoslidably connected to one end of either pole, respectively, as shown at23, Fig. 2, where the string is seen to pass over a pulley at inaperture 25. From this point the string is led through suitable eyes orguides 26 and may terminate in a suitable handle or gripping means 27,though these features may, of course, be arranged otherwise to suit theconvenience of the user.

In arranging the protector hereinbefore described in position on a tree,the pole parts 7 and 8 on each pole, respectively, are swung intoalinement, and are so maintained temporarily by setting the latch means.In the particular construction hereinbefore described this latter stepis accomplished by sliding latch bar 12 into the guide 1 1. After theprotector is then spread out it will appear as in the dotted-linedevelopment, Fig. 1, and by carrying the two ends of the protectingsheet 1 in opposite direc tions around the tree,indicated by dottedlines 28, Figs. 4, 5 and 6,-the poles may be brought up tightly to eachother, as in Figs. 1 and 1. At this time suitable fastening means,represented by the hooks and pegs 29 and 30, respectively, on the poles,are manipulated so as to fasten said poles together. The length of thesheet 1 is preferably chosen approximately equal to the perimeter of thetree, so that after drawing said sheet around the tree as aforesaid theprotector will have substantially the appearance of a cylindrical sacksurrounding the tree and partially open at the top. The strings 20 and21, together with the collapsible pole parts 8, are next manipulated forclosing the upper part of said sack. For this purpose the operatorseizes the strings 20 and 21 at some convenient point such as the handle27 and draws said strings through the pole connection 23.. At the stringconnection 22 this force is imparted to sheet 1 and serves to fetch theopposite side of said sheet up and over to the pole top as indicated inFig. 5. After this, strings 15 are manipulated to withdraw latch bar 12from guide 14, and by the wei ht of the protector sheet then hangingsuspended from the pole top, the upper pole parts 8 will collapse andtopple over into the positions indicated in Figs. 3 and 6. Fig. 3 showshow the folds in the sheet usually arrange themselves, and the principalfeature is the fold 31, Figs. 3 and 6, which drops onto and closes overthe other folds, so as to shut the opening through the top of theprotector. The loose end of strings 20 and 21 may finally be woundaround spools 32, and the protector will rest lightly upon the tree andwill continue to snugly, but adequately cover and protect the tree foras long a period as may be desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the protector may be easily andconveniently arranged in position over the tree without appreciabledisturbance of the fruit or branch thereof; and in a similar butconverse manner the protector may again be removed from the tree whendesired. This convenience and ease of manipulation is of importance,particularly where the protector is to be used on orange trees in mildclimates where the protector will be used only intermittently during thecomparatively short cold periods. In service of this type it may bedesired to frequently apply the protector to the tree and to remove ittherefrom, and under these circumstances convenience of manipulationwould be valuable and would attach popularity to the protector.

In choosing suitable material out of which to make the sheet 1 a cheapmaterial is preferably chosen, but the most prominent characteristicswhich such material should possess are high thermal resistivity, coupledwith wind and water proof properties.

From the foregoing detailed description it is believed that theconstruction and mode of operation, together with the advantages of thedevices embracing this invention, will be clear.

I claim:

1. In a protector for trees, the combination of a pole comprising aplurality of parts hinged together, a protecting sheet attached to eachpart of said pole, and string means, one end of which is attached tosaid protecting sheet, and said string means being slidably connectedwith one end of said po e.

2. In a protector for trees, the combination of a. pole comprising twoparts hinged together, a protecting sheet attached to said pole, stringmeans, one end of which is attached to said protecting sheet, saidstring means being slidably connected with one end of said pole, andlatch means adapted to cooperate with both parts of said pole.

3. In a protector for trees, the combination of a protecting sheethaving two ends, a pole attached to each of said ends, each of saidpoles comprising two parts hinged together, each of said poles havinglatch means adapted to cooperate with both parts of said pole tomaintain said parts in alinement with each other; a string for eachpole, one end of said string being connected with said protecting sheet,and means for fastening said poles together.

1. In a protector for trees, the combination of a protecting sheethaving two ends, a pole attached to each of said ends and extendingsubstantially across the full width of said protecting sheet along theends of its same, each of said poles comprising two parts collapsiblyconnected to one another by hinges, each of said poles having latchmeans adapted to cooperate with both parts of said pole to maintain saidparts in alinementwith each other; a string for each pole, one end ofsaid string being connected with said protecting sheet, said string alsobeing slidably connected with the top of its pole, and means forfastening said poles together.

5. A tree protector comprising a sheet; two poles fastened to the endsof the sheets, respectively; each of said poles being composed of lowerand upper sections hinged together; the lower sections adapted to holdthe lower portions of the sheet ends upright and the upper sectionsadapted to hold the upper portion of the sheet in folded relation to thelower portion of said sheet.

6. A tree protector comprising a sheet; two poles fastened to the endsof the sheets, respectively; each of said poles being composed of lowerand upper sections hinged together; the lower sections adapted to holdthe lower portions of the sheet ends upright and the upper sectionsadapted to hold the upper portion of the sheet in folded relation to thelower portion of said sheet; means to temporarily hold the hingedsections of the poles in rigid alinement, and means to release saidsection-holding means.

7. A tree protector comprising a sheet; two poles fastened to the endsof the sheets, respectively; each of said poles being composed of lowerand upper sections hinged together; the lower sections adapted to holdthe lower portions of the sheet ends upright and the upper sectionsadapted to hold the upper portion of the sheet in folded relation to thelower portion of said sheet; and

means to draw the upper edge of the sheet together.

8. A tree protector comprising a sheet; two poles fastened to the endsof the sheets, respectively; each of said poles being composed of lowerand upper sections hinged together; the lower sections adapted to holdthe lower portions of the sheet ends upright and the upper sectionsadapted to hold the upper portion of the sheet in folded relation to thelower portion of said sheet; means to draw the upper edge of the sheettogether; means to temporarily hold the hinged sections of the poles inrigid alinement, and means to release said section-holding means.

9. In a protector for trees comprising a sheet, rigid means fastened tothe ends of the sheet respectively, said means being composed of lowerand upper sections, the lower sections adapted to hold the lowerportions of the sheet ends upright, and the upper sections adapted tohold the upper portion of the sheet in folded relation to the lowerportion of said sheet.

10. In a protector for trees comprising a sheet, rigid means cooperatingwith said sheet, said means being composed of lower and upper sections,the lower sections adapted to hold the lower portion of the sheetupright, and the upper sections adapted to hold the upper portion of thesheet in folded relation to the lower portion of said sheet, and meansto draw the upper portion of the sheet together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 19th day of March, 1913.

JOHN J. PATTERSON.

In presence of JAMES R. TOWNSEND, ROBERT A. STEr-s.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 01. Patents. Washington, D. G.

